About The Unsigned Guide

How current is the information in The Unsigned Guide?

Our team conduct research all year round to check that listings in The Unsigned Guide are current, as well as constantly adding new company listings to the directory. As soon as we are informed of changes by a company we can amend their listing details as necessary within minutes and this shows live for all our members to see straight away so you always have access to the most current information possible.

What information does The Unsigned Guide contain?

The Unsigned Guide contains listings for 50 areas of the music industry, grouped into main sections including Artist Managers, Creative & Branding, Finance, Law & Music Business, Live, Media, Music Publishing, Music Training & Careers, Record Labels, Recording & Production, and Selling & Distributing Your Music. Take a tour of the directory and hover over any of the main sections on the left of the page to view the sub-sections within each one.

Why isn't the company I'm searching for listed?

All companies included in The Unsigned Guide have given their approval to be listed with us. Unfortunately, there are always going to be companies that don't return our emails or calls, and if we cannot get through to them, then we will not list them without their permission. Although we endeavour to hunt out and contact all relevant companies for inclusion in The Unsigned Guide, it is a never-ending task! There will always be new businesses or ones we haven't come across yet that we would love to include so if you think we have missed anything important please let us know. Contact our Research Manager with any suggestions you may have.

What happened to The Unsigned Guide book?

In 2011 we decided to concentrate entirely on our online directory and not to produce any more printed editions of The Unsigned Guide as we felt there were far more advantages and a greater future scope for using the listings online, rather than in a printed format. Primarily, we are able to keep the listings more current and members can see any changes we make to listings immediately. We have also been able to introduce many new features allowing members to save, manage and organise the listings in a way that suits them, plus it is much easier for members to find exactly what they are looking for with our many online search filters; much simpler than browsing through pages in the book. We have many more developments planned for the online directory in the future which would have been limited or, in some cases, impossible for a printed format. And finally, it is much better for the environment!

What is the history of The Unsigned Guide?

You can read more about the ideas behind The Unsigned Guide, how it got started and how it has developed in our blog post 'Life Before The Unsigned Guide'. The Unsigned Guide was first published in 2003 as a printed directory and a revised edition was issued every subsequent year. In 2008 we introduced an online version of the directory in beta to accompany the printed edition, and in 2011 we decided to concentrate solely on our online directory and stopped producing printed copies. Our full series catalogue can be seen below.

Searching The Unsigned Guide

What type of searches can I carry out?

All listings in The Unsigned Guide can be browsed by keyword or sections.

Listings can also be filtered further by one of 11 UK regions or by over 130 UK cities & towns to allow you find local services, or help you search further afield.

Advanced Searches:

Certain sections of The Unsigned Guide can also be searched more in-depth using our Advanced Searches.

You can search by 185 different genres in the following categories: Record Labels, Music Publishing, Distributors, Producers, and Artist Managers.

Venues can be filtered by their capacity to help you when booking gigs and tours.

You can browse Festivals either by the month that the event takes place, or perhaps more importantly, the month by which they must receive all demo submissions before they select their line-up, so you'll never miss the boat again.

Search our Producers section for individual producers to work with your band, or if you're a talented producer yourself, search for producer management companies who you could approach for representation. You can also filter by genre to find the right contacts quickly.

There are many filters by which you can browse our Rehearsal Rooms listings including secure storage facilities, number of rooms, equipment provided and equipment available for hire.

Not only can our Distributors section by filtered by music genre, you can also specify whether you are looking for a company that provides physical or digital distribution services, or both.

Need to invest in a new instrument, or wanting to brush up with a few lessons? Our Instrument Shops/Repair and Music Training & Tuition sections can be fully filtered by any instrument so you can find what you need quickly. We also list various music courses in the Music Training & Tuition section if you want to develop your knowledge further.

Sort Radio Stations by National, DAB, Online, Podcast, Regional and Community, so you know exactly who you are targeting for airplay.

Filter our Music PR & Plugging section by those companies that provide radio plugging and/or PR campaigns, and whether they offer national or regional coverage so you find the right service for you.

Filter Equipment Hire firms by types of gear provided so you can narrow down your search in seconds.

Services such as Merchandise and Printers can be filtered to show those that provide an in-house design service.

Results can even be filtered to specify, for example, only listings with an email address, or only listings with a contact name, so you can quickly bring up the information that is relevant for your requirements.

As we continue to develop The Unsigned Guide we will be introducing even more Advanced Search features to save you time.

Who do I contact if there are technical issues/problems?

If you experience any problems whilst using The Unsigned Guide please let us know immediately via [email protected] or speak to a member of the team on 0800 975 1215 and we will do our rectify any problems as soon as possible.

Signing up for a subscription

How do I sign up for a subscription to The Unsigned Guide?

You can get a subscription to The Unsigned Guide by going to the Sign Up page on our website and inputting your credit or debit card, or even from your Paypal account. All transactions are processed via Worldpay secure payment system.

Alternatively, you can call The Unsigned Guide Order Hotline on 0800 975 1215. Our office is open Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 5:30pm. If you prefer to send a cheque or postal orders, please make them payable to mcr:music and send to: Unit 12, Cariocca Business Park, 2 Hellidon Close, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 4AH

How quickly will I get access to The Unsigned Guide?

You can start using The Unsigned Guide within minutes of your purchase. As soon as your payment is confirmed you will receive a confirmation email from us containing your personal login details, so just login and get started!

What should I do if I lose my login details?

Don't worry if you've misplaced your login details. You can go to the Login page and click ‘Forgotten Your Login Details?' and you will be resent details to your email address within seconds. Alternatively, call the team on 0800 975 1215 during office hours and we will help you out.

What is your refund policy if I'm not satisfied?

We do offer a money back guarantee on The Unsigned Guide so should you decide you are not satisfied with your subscription please email [email protected] within 7 days of signing up to the service to arrange a full refund. Once signed up, members are responsible for their own subscription and subsequent recurring payments.

How do I cancel my Subscription?

If you wish to cancel your subscription to The Unsigned Guide and recurring payments this can be actioned yourself by logging into your Worldpay or Paypal account, depending on which payment service you set up your subscription through. Alternatively, you can email The Unsigned Guide at [email protected] to action the cancellation on your behalf during the working week. Please allow 24 hours for a response and please note that we are unable to action cancellation requests over the weekend or bank holidays.

Where can I find out about advertising in The Unsigned Guide?

How do I get my company listed in The Unsigned Guide? Will it cost me anything?

All listing inclusions are free of charge. If you would like your business to be included in The Unsigned Guide you can submit a Get Listed request. When you have submitted your details a notification will be sent directly to our Research Manager who will put your listing live in the directory. However, in some instances a member of our team may need to contact you to get more information for your listing before it goes live. Alternatively, you can email our Research Manager directly with contact details and information about your company and a member of our team will be in touch.

Can I contribute to The Unsigned Guide blog?

There is a Comment facility on individual blog posts so users can post their thoughts and opinions about the topics covered. If there is a particular subject you would like to see covered by a future blog, or if you would like to contribute a guest blog yourself, then please contact the Editor with details and we will do our best to include something. Our blogs are specifically targeted to our readership and users which includes unsigned bands, musicians and artists, as well as other individuals, businesses and bodies operating in the music industry at a grassroots or entry-level. If you have any content that you think would be suitable, please submit it to the Editor for consideration.

Who do I contact if I wish to re-post a blog from The Unsigned Guide on my website?

Who writes/contributes to The Unsigned Guide blog?

The blogs are usually written and compiled by The Unsigned Guide team, although we occasionally include blog posts from other music industry companies and individuals who we feel can offer their expertise on various topics.

Will you publish my news item on The Unsigned Guide?

There is a Comment facility on individual news items so users can post their thoughts and opinions about the topics covered in the daily news bulletins. If we have missed a news story that you think should be reported on, or you wish to send a press release, then contact the Editor with details and we will do our best to provide coverage. Our news content is specifically targeted to our readership and users which includes unsigned bands, musicians and artists, as well as other individuals, businesses and bodies operating in the music industry at a grassroots or entry-level. If you have any articles or news items that you think would be suitable, please submit them to the Editor for consideration.

Spotlight

How can I submit my music to be considered for Spotlight?

All members of The Unsigned Guide are welcome to submit one track per month to be considered for inclusion in our monthly Spotlight blog. We do receive a lot of submissions which is why we ask for only one track to be sent to us at a time, so we stand a chance of being able to listen to them all properly! When you log in to our members area, just click on Use Benefits on the menu at the very top of the page and you will find details of how you can submit your track to us.

What if my track doesn’t make it onto Spotlight this month?

Don’t lose hope if your music has not been selected for our latest Spotlight blog! We do have a lot of tracks submitted to us and we always listen to every one, but your particular track may just not have been suitable for that month’s selection. Remember, you can submit one track to us each month and we encourage members to keep on trying even if they weren’t successful initially. Perhaps try your luck with a different track that may get our toes tapping.

How can I be included on the Spotlight industry listening panel?

We are always looking to expand the industry panel who kindly receive and listen to our Spotlight track selections every month. If you work in the music industry and would like to be involved, please Contact Us with information about yourself and/or your business and we’ll be in touch.

From booking gigs to sending demos to record labels or planning your own EP release. The Unsigned Guide contains over 8,500 contacts spanning 50 areas of the UK music industry. Filter contacts by genre, UK towns & cities and more.

Save your favourite contacts, blogs, articles and other nuggets of music business info. Booking a tour? Planning a release? Create a Project to organise tours, press campaigns, releases or whatever you like.

MUSIC INDUSTRY ADVICE

How do I get my songs on radio? What’s in a recording agreement? Where can I get funding? If you have big, important questions about the music industry then look no further than our archive of blogs, advice & reports.

SEND US YOUR MUSIC FOR SPOTLIGHT

We love to champion great new music. Each month we pick the 5 best tracks we receive from our members and feature them in our Spotlight blog. We also forward these songs to a network of 40+ music industry professionals, all looking for new talent and who guarantee to listen.